Anonymous Groups – Proliferation of a Fellowship Philosophy

Since the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, there has been an exponential proliferation of “anonymous” groups for diverse issues. Loosely-based on the twelve step program established by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bill Smith, most of these anonymous groups operate with the same philosophy in mind: public admission of a problem, an examination of its effects on one’s life, restitution to others who have been negatively affected by the problem, and, most importantly, fellowship and support from others who share a similar condition.

Internet research is one of the most effective ways to track the development and propagation of anonymous groups. Through search frequency research, an innovative new tool, addictions professionals can track search queries for established anonymous groups, as well the formation of new groups who use the Internet to spread their message.

Narcotics Anonymous – Following the Lead of Alcoholics Anonymous

In 1953, Alcoholics Anonymous gave permission to Narcotics Anonymous to adopt its 12-step program. With 170,941 inquiries over a one-year period, “narcotics anonymous” is the second most frequently searched anonymous group. Graph 1 below contains six related phrases for additional “anonymous groups” – “gamblers”, “overeaters”, “sex addicts”, “nicotine”, “debtors” and “emotions anonymous”. 

Anonymous Groups - Prevalent Search Topics - Graph 1

(Continued on Graph 3 at the bottom of this page)

Top 30 two and three word combinations

	estimated searches/year across all search engines
	0		220,000
alcoholics anonymous	209593
narcotics anonymous	170941
alcoholic anonymous	49312
al anon	37551
overeaters anonymous	35410
anonymous meeting	33534
alcoholic anonymous meeting	28764
alcoholic anonymous meeting schedule	28684
anonymous meetings	23426
anonymous web	21407
gamblers anonymous	18385
valentino anonymous	15393
bobby valentino anonymous	15026
anonymous search	13326
addicts anonymous	10991
free anonymous	8792
alcohol anonymous	8670
sex addicts anonymous	8207
nicotine anonymous	8112
al anon meeting	7924
narcotics anonymous meetings	7915
alcoholics anonymous meetings	7276
anonymous sex	7147
al anon meeting directory	7140
anonymous bobby	7116
debtors anonymous	6338
narcotic anonymous	6290
anonymous bobby valentino	6274
alcoholic anonymous meetings	5948
emotions anonymous	5617
	0		220,000

Alcoholics Anonymous Continues to Top the List

After more than 73 years in existence, Alcoholics Anonymous continues to thrive, topping the list at 209,593 annual searches. Related to Alcoholics Anonymous is “alanon”, the fourth most commonly searched phrase. This support group for family and friends of alcoholics also provides an invaluable service for those dealing with the effects of a loved one’s alcoholism.

Graph 3 contains several obscure anonymous phrases of interest as well, including “codependents anonymous”, “love addicts anonymous”, “clutterers anonymous”, and “messies anonymous”.

Anonymous Groups Market Research - Graph 2

Top 100 words used in anonymous groups searches
(Top 1000 can be found at Top 100 anonymous groups exact phrases and top 1,000 concepts/words. - Graph 5)

	estimated searches/year across all search engines
	0		880,000
anonymous	859169
alcoholics	212513
narcotics	173638
anon	72229
alcoholic	49366
meeting	41613
al	37569
overeaters	36733
schedule	29427
meetings	28548
bobby	22615
valentino	21734
web	21578
sex	19760
gamblers	19607
search	19214
addicts	11011
free	9336
alcohol	8689
nicotine	8137
book	7578
directory	7277
online	6927
big	6790
narcotic	6604
chat	6363
debtors	6345
steps	6303
12	6173
4	6122
emotions	5623
credit	5416
sexaholics	5303
mail	5011
internet	4978
hosting	4968
cocaine	4667
card	4564
prepaid	4562
step	4494
books	4230
browsers	4228
shirt	4084
engines	4083
history	4043
marijuana	3907
schedules	3863
logo	3672
rooms	3618
pictures	3581
families	3551
codependents	3476
pills	3419
revenge	3313
testing	3278
websites	3130
pittsburgh	3006
phone	3002
love	2980
gambler	2889
searching	2832
symbol	2817
california	2815
florida	2786
eaters	2759
san	2758
hedgehoppers	2753
how	2722
texas	2633
sites	2626
emails	2623
quotes	2611
gifts	2602
ohio	2601
sexual	2589
porn	2573
alchoholics	2536
tennessee	2486
speaker	2326
eating	2282
new	2252
diego	2173
std	2084
overeater	2051
workaholics	2023
fourth	1968
smokers	1908
clutterers	1892
dr	1889
alcholics	1845
masked	1816
calls	1774
narc	1759
codependency	1747
rings	1741
groups	1722
messies	1714
shoppers	1705
confessions	1692
speakers	1681
	0		880,000

What do Addictions Research and Montreal, Canada have in Common?

Montreal, Canada is home to Clear Haven Center, a progressive treatment facility that has pioneered this innovative form of addictions research. Through this generous support, search frequency research is becoming an important resource for the analysis of diverse societal addictions issues.

Anonymous Groups - Prevalent Search Topics, Continued - Graph 3

Top 31 - 100 two and three word combinations
(Top 30 are in Graph 1 above)

	estimated searches/year across all search engines
	1,000		5700
anonymous 4	5561
sexaholics anonymous	5302
anonymous web search	4967
anonymous web hosting	4897
anonymous e mail	4815
anonymous internet	4781
cocaine anonymous	4647
anonymous chat	4227
anonymous web browsers	4210
anonymous books	4099
anonymous search engines	4047
narcotics anonymous t shirt	4025
anonymous online	3919
marijuana anonymous	3899
anonymous pictures	3561
families anonymous	3533
codependents anonymous	3470
pills anonymous	3418
alcoholics anonymous chat	3377
steps of alcoholics anonymous	3368
anonymous revenge	3310
narcotics anonymous pictures	3298
narcotics anonymous meetings schedules	3291
anonymous logo	3241
anonymous websites	3126
alcoholics anonymous big book	3049
free anonymous web	2946
pittsburgh narcotics anonymous	2935
alcoholics anon	2906
alcoholics anonymous symbol	2768
anonymous prepaid credit card	2758
hedgehoppers anonymous	2753
eaters anonymous	2750
narcotics anon	2647
anonymous emails	2617
anonymous gifts	2593
anonymous quotes	2540
big book alcoholic anonymous	2482
alcoholics anonymous chat rooms	2465
california alcoholics anonymous	2390
anon meetings	2331
narcotics anonymous online	2239
narcotics anonymous books	2217
narcotics anonymous speaker	2203
anonymous phone	2158
anonymous std testing	2064
love addicts anonymous	2048
workaholics anonymous	2023
alchoholics anonymous	1986
smokers anonymous	1907
gambler s anonymous	1902
clutterers anonymous	1892
al anon meetings	1885
narcotics anonymous logo	1846
alcoholics anonymous fourth step	1839
alcholics anonymous	1839
alcoholics anonymous 12 steps	1817
masked and anonymous	1812
narc anon	1757
sex anonymous	1752
codependency anonymous	1745
alcoholics anonymous rings	1736
messies anonymous	1714
shoppers anonymous	1702
anonymous confessions	1684
alcoholics anonymous meetings online	1670
methadone anonymous	1668
anonymous porn	1665
narcotics anonymous meeting	1657
anonymous searching	1653
	1,000		5700